CASTRO VALLEY, Calif.
-- Even after more than two years of project design and fundraising, there are still some in Castro Valley who do not know that local veterans are building a memorial in Castro Valley Community Park, Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley.

So, those who have not heard about Castro Valley’s Veterans’ Memorial should visit the park and enter the upper parking lot off Quail Avenue. Some sidewalks and curbs have been removed and cordoned off to make way for handicap parking and a handicap entrance to the new Memorial.

What is the next phase for the Memorial? According to the project manager, grading and leveling of the site itself will begin shortly.

The Memorial’s Army service stone is now completely filled with its 99 veterans’ names, the overflow of other Army names will be engraved in the lower half of the Merchant Marine stone. Similarly, the Navy service stone is almost full and its overflow will be located on the lower half of the Coast Guard stone. Plenty of spaces remain for names on the Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine stones for veterans, as well as bricks for purchase by anyone and businesses.

Castro Valley resident and veteran Owen R. Smith, a Navy Warrant Officer who served in WWII and is a Pearl Harbor survivor, along with his family, has donated $25,000 to the Castro Valley Veterans’ Memorial in his honor. These much-needed funds are greatly appreciated.

Donations are still needed - $200 will allow a veteran to put his/her name on one of the six Memorial service stones; $100 will allow veterans, civilians/loved ones and businesses to have a brick paver, a great way for the public to participate in the Memorial.

The Memorial's donor board also has locations for people or organizations who donate $1,000+ as a Bronze donor, $2,000+ as a Silver donor and $3,000+ as a Gold donor.